What Generation Science did in 2017

Posted: 25 May 2017

The 2017 Generation Science tour, powered by EDF Energy, is now over but what a fantastic tour it has been! This year our teams hit the road from 30 January and by the end of the tour they had delivered 1,641 performances to 58,811 pupils in primary schools across all 32 Scottish local authorities.

(Power from the People - photo Ian Jacobs)

(Marvellous Magnets - photo Jamie Williamson)

With the generous support of our partners and funders, we were able to visit schools across the length of the country – from Tongue Primary School in the north to Whithorn Primary School in the south. We also ventured off the Scottish mainland, delivering shows and workshops in Lewis, Shetland, Orkney, Mull, Islay, Bute, Skye and Arran.

In our drive to break down geographical barriers, we took our inspirational science activities to some of Scotland’s most remote schools including Drumlemble, Carradale, Clachan and Southend in Argyll and Bute. A pilot of programming workshops supported by Digital Scotland also saw us visit remote areas in Moray, the Highlands, Dumfries and Galloway and South Lanarkshire.

(Good Vibrations - photo Ian Jacobs)

(Lego Mindstorms Challenge - photo Allan MacDonald)

We visited some of Scotland’s smallest schools, including Luss Primary in Argyll and Bute and Abernyte in Perth And Kinross – both of which only have 6 pupils. We took our Smart Grid show up to Shetland for a week thanks to support from Total E&P. We also reached out to schools that have not had a Generation Science activity before, visiting 49 new schools this year.

Joan Davidson, Education Manager at Edinburgh International Science Festival said: “Our aim is to improve the provision of science education in Scottish primary schools, bring science to life in the classroom and inform, inspire and engage young learners in science - so we’re delighted to be wrapping up another successful Generation Science tour. As an educational charity, we simply could not deliver the UK’s largest science education outreach programme without our partners and funders so huge thanks go to them for their generous support in 2017.”

(Smart Grid - photo Ben Mullay)

(Ready, Teddy, Go - photo Allan MacDonald)

Generation Science will return in 2018 from 29 January to 18 May. Booking for the tour will open from September 2017 and full programme details will be available on the Generation Science webpage at this time.